William w



dilated Staten- WILLIAM W. DAMES, OF SAN JOS, CALIFORNIA.

Lette/rs Patent No. 101,985, dated April 19, 1870.'

CAMERA-STAND.

The Schedule referred to in Ithese Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

,Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. DAMES, of San Jos, county of Santa Clara, Siate of vCaliforniahave invented an Improved Camera-Stand; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are suticient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention and improvements without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an improved stand for supporting` photographic cameras, and 4 It consists in an arrangement of inclined planes, by which the height of the stand is adjusted, in order to accommodate it to the position of the objcctto be operated upon.

In order to explain my invention so that others will -understand its construction and operation, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which- A-represents a frame of some suitable and convenient construction. y

- This flame is devoid of a top, and one end is made lower than lthe other, so that the upper side rails B will stand at a slight inclination.

Inside of this frame is a table, arranged to be raised and lowered by its four corner posts, D, sliding upon the inside of the corner posts ofthe outside frame.

This table is also constructed so that its top will be inclined and parallel with the top-rails ot the frame A.

The raising and lowering of this table' is accomplished by means of four inclined planes, H H, two being placed on each side of a flame, I, which moves back and forward between the corner posts D of the table, and is supported on the rollers J J, which have their bearings in the posts A A. 'v

Two similar rollers, K K, are attached to the posts D, so that when the frame I, moves back and forward, the inclined planes will move beneath the rollers K, and thus raise the table.

Drawing the frame back will lower the table iu the same way.

To hold the frame I in any desired position, and maintain anyA elevation of the table C, a rack, L, is placed between the posts of the frame A, below the sliding frame I.

land seal.

A pawl, M, .drops into this rack, being fastened to the lower part of I, and when it is necessary to draw the ii'ame back and lower the table, the pawl can be raised by a string.

Upon each of the upper side rails or top ,C of the table is placed a small guide, a, the two forming a track, upon which a frame, F, moves back and forth.

At each of the four corners of this' frame is secured an inclined pla-ne or wedge, G, similar to the inclined planes H, before described.

The table N, which supports the camera, has a bar, o, extending across it in the center.

The lower side of this bar' is slightly rounded, and

`fits into a corresponding groove in a bar, P,'which extends across the upper part ofthe table C.

The two are kept together by straps at each end, and the table N has thus a certain amount of motion about this point.

At each end ofthe table are placed blocks It, which stand so that one just rests on each of the inclined planes G, and, as the frame F and the planes are moved in either direction beneath these blocks, one

end of the table N will be raised and the other depressed, so that the desired angle can be instantly obtained.

If found necessary, a rack or other suitable stop may be employed, but I thinkpthe upper table will stand at any point without such a device.

The construction of some of the parts of the 'machine maybe slightly varied, but the principal feature is the use of the inclined planes for raising, lowering", andotherwise adjusting the camera, this being very rapidly done, and the apparatus is cheap and easily constructed.

Having thus described my invention, 4

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The horizontally-moving inclines H, in combination with the pawl M and rack L, arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand WILLIAM W. DAMES. in. s] Witnesses:

CHARLEsE. ALLEN,

SAMUEL F. Lnr. 

